


Angry Dove

by Burgie



Category: Star Stable Online
Genre: Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-07
Updated: 2018-10-07
Packaged: 2019-07-27 10:54:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,743
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16217567
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Burgie/pseuds/Burgie
Summary: Your date to the fashion show with Ydris keeps being interrupted.





	Angry Dove

**Author's Note:**

> Reader can be any gender (also thanks HellishSam for telling me where Darko's cane is because it bugged for me and was already in the box).

In Jorvik, fashion week happens at many different times. In the past, you’ve heard, there had been posters put up around the mall in the leadup to the day. But you haven’t noticed any posters this year. Then again, you haven’t really been going to the mall much. You have, instead, been spending a lot of time up on Nilmer’s Highland with a certain magician. And really, who could blame you? Ydris is the most attractive man you’ve ever seen, and you’ve lived on Jorvik for a while now.

But today, when you arrive at the highland, you are surprised to find Ydris already waiting outside his wagon for you, holding Zee by a lead rope. That sight is very odd- Ydris usually never takes Zee anywhere. At least, you’ve never seen him ride her. Then again, if he did, you’re pretty sure that his head might touch the clouds. The mental image makes you giggle, and Ydris turns to look at you with a wide smile.

“A laughing dove,” Ydris says, and you feel as though you could swoon under that bicoloured gaze.

“Hi,” you say. “I was just thinking about how tall you must be when you’re on horseback.”

“Well,” says Ydris with a chuckle. “I would be lying if I said that I am not rather high up off the ground on Zee. Perhaps that is why I don’t ride her very often.”

“Really?” you ask. “The great Ydris, scared of heights?” Ydris silences you with a finger against your lips.

“Let that be our little secret, dove,” says Ydris, a smile playing about his lips. You nod, willing to do whatever he says.

“Are you planning on going somewhere?” you ask once Ydris has removed his finger from your lips. Ydris nods, standing up tall as though about to make some grand announcement.

“It has come to my attention that Jorvik City is holding an event known as Fashion Week,” says Ydris. “I do love to attend.” You’re a little surprised at this admission.

“I didn’t peg you for someone interested in fashion,” you say. Ydris chuckles.

“You could not tell that simply by looking at me?” asks Ydris, gesturing to his fine clothing. You nod, figuring that it was pretty obvious in hindsight.

“Is that where you got the inspiration to change the circus?” you ask. Ydris nods.

“And it certainly paid off, wouldn’t you say, dove?” asks Ydris, gesturing not only to himself but also to the circus tent and fortune telling tent behind him.

“Definitely,” you say, nodding. “I didn’t know Fashion Week was on, though.”

“Oh, yes,” says Ydris. “The show opens tonight. Would you like to accompany me there, little dove?” You blush, feeling your cheeks heat instantly at Ydris’ words. But he only smiles warmly at you.

“Like a date?” you ask.

“No, not like a date,” says Ydris, and before your heart can fall to the floor and shatter, he continues, “on a date.” For a moment, you are speechless, everything in you frozen as you try to process his words. Ydris must be able to see the look of shock on your face, though, because he only waits patiently for you to continue.

“O-oh,” you stammer once you have found your words. You try to swallow your nerves, your mouth and throat dry. You wipe your sweaty palms on your jeans, noticing that your hands are trembling.

“I did get two tickets for it, after all,” says Ydris. “My original intention was to take Zee, but horses are unfortunately not allowed in Jorvik City, and so I had to amend my plans at the last minute. Which was quite annoying. However, I decided that it would be quite wonderful if I were to turn my journey to the fashion show into a date. So, little dove, what say you to that?”

“That sounds like a wonderful idea,” you say, grinning. Now that the nerves have passed, you only feel pure happiness, radiating out of you from within. You have become quite fond of Ydris after spending so much time with him, after all, though you’d never expected that this same fondness would have grown in him. The thought sends butterflies racing through your stomach, your heart seeming to do flips in your chest. But of course, amazing things would be happening near the circus. You have already seen plenty of amazing things inside it, after all. And somehow, you know that the Amazing Ydris is capable of anything.

“Then let us be on with our date,” Ydris declares, taking your hand in his gloved one. Your heart soars and you need to resist the impulse to squeal, not least because that would probably frighten both your horse and Zee.

“What about Zee?” you ask, looking at the draught mare. You have seen her true, beautiful form, and the thought of it makes you sigh in delight and wonder every time. She is as beautiful as her master is attractive. “Just look at her, all saddled up and nowhere to go.” Well, metaphorically- she isn’t wearing a saddle yet, though you know that she’ll probably have one on soon. Unless Ydris had been intending on riding bareback. You won’t judge him, though, no matter how he wants to ride. Even if he wants to ride while standing astride her back.

“Zee can still accompany us to the bus stop, of course,” says Ydris. “If she so wishes.” Zee nods, and you are amazed all over again at the intelligence in this mare. Your horses seem to have the same intelligence, as do all horses on Jorvik, but Zee seems to have something extra about her. Maybe it comes from her wonderful true form.

“I guess she’s decided,” you say with a laugh. “Come on, then, let’s go.” Now that the nerves have passed, you are eager to get to the mall and enjoy the fashion show with this handsome man. And you are more than a little curious as to how Ydris looks on horseback. How tall can he truly be?

“Alright, my wonderful star,” says Ydris, giving Zee’s mane a pet as he walks past her. He opens the door of his wagon, then reaches in to retrieve reins, a saddle pad, and a saddle. All of them are the same purple as his tent, which probably match beautifully with Zee’s ‘natural’ colours. You watch as Ydris puts the tack on his horse, admiring his horsemanship. You can definitely admire a guy who knows his way around horses.

Ydris doesn’t need anything to help him mount his horse, only needing to pull himself up into the saddle and hold onto the reins, getting himself settled. He and Zee make quite the dashing picture, and you have to look away with a blush when he catches you staring.

“Feel free to admire the view, little dove,” says Ydris, making you blush more intensely. He chuckles as the two of you start off, and butterflies arise again at the simple knowledge that you are riding alongside this very handsome man. On a date with him. A date. With Ydris. Oh, if only the others could see you now! You grin, urging your horse into a canter. Not that you are in a rush to get to the mall or anything, only because you want to feel the wind in your face to cool your burning cheeks. And because, just privately, you want to see what Ydris can really do in the saddle. Perhaps the two of you should go on a trail ride in the future.

All too soon, the two of you arrive at the Fort Pinta bus stop, taking your horses over to Fort Pinta to leave in the paddock while the two of you are away in the city. Ydris murmurs words to Zee as he strokes her mane, and you wish that he’d murmur sweet nothings to you like that. You brush the thought aside with a blush, not wishing to voice it, and instead give your horse a few loving words of your own before you step out of the paddock. Ydris follows after giving Zee one more affectionate pet. The way he so clearly loves his horse makes you smile. He’s so sweet.

The bus ride to Jorvik City Mall, though, is where the nerves really come into play. You and Ydris are sitting so close together, you can feel the warmth of him from his leg pressed against yours. You don’t know if you can possibly feel more flustered, but then Ydris takes your hand. You don’t remember any moment of that bus trip, only the feeling of Ydris beside you, his hand in yours. Your cheeks feel as though they’re on fire.

“Here is our stop, little dove,” says Ydris, breaking you out of your trance as the bus begins to slow. You hear the voice of the driver announce that the next stop is Jorvik City Mall and stand, knowing that buses don’t wait for passengers to be ready. Ydris remains holding your hand as the two of you walk down the middle of the bus, both to hold you steady and, you hope, because he wants to hold your hand as much as you want to hold his hand.

Once inside the mall, Ydris leads you up the stairs, and you don’t even have time to see if there are any posters advertising Fashion Week. There probably are, but Ydris seems eager to get to the show. Maybe he really is that interested in fashion. Or maybe, a part of you hopes, Ydris is looking forward to sitting next to you in a dark room. 

That thought is still on your mind as Ydris leads you to a seat in the front row. The music sounds different this year, a thumping bass that definitely reminds you of a fashion show. You almost want to dance to it, and you can see some people dancing already. You wonder if Ydris would dance, but the thought of dancing with him to this beat almost makes you want to melt into a puddle.

Sitting beside Ydris is definitely nice, though.

But then, just as you are getting settled in to watch the show, a man in a dark blue uniform makes his way over to you. You try not to sigh, though Ydris looks concerned.

“Commissioner Lacroix?” Ydris asks, your heart doing a little dance at how smoothly the French name rolls off his tongue. “Whatever is the matter?” He doesn’t need to look up much to see the commissioner’s face, you notice.

“There have been some items stolen,” says the commissioner. “This is nothing compared to previous years, first sketches and my uniform being stolen, then Le Goon coming in and trying to sabotage it, and now this! A thief!” He seems to be getting quite upset. “What is the world coming to?”

“Maybe I can help,” you say. Though Lacroix has been a bit harsh in the past with your outfits, you have helped him in previous years. And who knows, maybe you might get a new item of clothing out of it. You have in previous years.

“Ah, the ugly duckling,” says Lacroix. Ydris bristles, pursing his lips. “Yes, as you have been so helpful in the past, you can help me again this year.”

“What can I do?” you ask, rising from your seat. A part of you is annoyed that your first date with Ydris is being interrupted like this, but this wouldn’t be Jorvik if someone didn’t ask you for your help. Or if you didn’t offer to help someone. 

“Ah, little dove, your generosity is one of your most charming qualities,” says Ydris, giving you a pleasant smile. That makes you feel even better about offering to help.

“Four items have gone missing,” says Lacroix as he leads you over to a box. “A pink handbag, a black cane, a camera on a strap, and a plush horse toy. I’ve looked in here and can’t find them, so I suspect that these items may be scattered elsewhere in the mall.” You nod, already thinking of where you might look.

The first place you head to is the third floor, the little-used part of the mall where you’ve once found a wristwatch. Just as you’d expected, you find the camera hanging from a potted palm tree and a cane lying across some scaffolding. You find nothing else on this floor, so you head back down the escalator.

Eventually, you find all three items, including a purple plush horse toy that appears to be hiding under a table. You smile as you bend down to pick it up. Maybe a child left it here. But you feel something familiar as you pick the toy up. It seems so life-like, you almost expect it to come to life and jump out of your hands to run circles around you. But it doesn’t, only staying in your hands along with the other items that you’ve collected for Lacroix.

“Excellent,” says Lacroix when you return to him with the lost items. “Now, hand those out to some people who look like they’re missing something.” You’re confused. “Oh, sorry, I didn’t see who asked me about them.” You sigh, making the rounds to talk to everyone.

But, no matter who you talk to, you can’t find the owner of the missing plush horse. At a loss, you return to Ydris, annoyed.

“Why so sad, little dove?” Ydris asks as you sit down beside him.

“I can’t find who this belongs to,” you say, showing the plush toy to Ydris. Ydris stares at it in surprise, reaching his hand out to take it.

“How did you get here?” Ydris murmurs. You swear the horse toy moves its ear or tail. Or perhaps it blinks.

“Is it yours?” you ask. Ydris looks up at you, his expression showing nothing but bemusement.

“This is Zee,” says Ydris, looking down at the plush toy again.

“What? But I thought you left her back in Fort Pinta,” you say, and now you are as confused as Ydris. But Ydris laughs.

“Ah, Zee, you truly are a jokester,” he says, petting the horse’s mane. He looks at you, still smiling. “It appears that she has turned herself into a toy in order to accompany me into the city.”

“Really?” you ask with a laugh.

“Yes,” says Ydris, stroking his hand over the toy. “This is definitely my Zee, the naughty little thing.”

“That’s great,” you say with a grin. “Now I can tell Lacroix and hopefully get a reward.” Ydris smiles, watching as you walk over to Lacroix.

Unfortunately, you aren’t done when you tell Lacroix that you’ve returned the items. Instead, he needs you to find the thief. At first, you assume that it’s Le Goon. But then, you see Isebell Figg sneaking away and figure out that it was Diggory, stealing things again just as he’d stolen them in Fort Pinta.

“A reward?” Lacroix asks after all that. “What would you want a reward for? You saved the day, didn’t you?”

You growl in frustration, turning and stalking away from him. You sit down heavily in your seat, your arms crossed over your chest.

“Is that the cooing of an angry dove I hear?” Ydris asks, and you blush at him seeing you so angry.

“I did so much work for him!” you say, throwing your hands up. “I found the lost items, I returned them, I even found the ‘criminal’, and what thanks do I get? Nothing! At least Franziska gave me things the last two years, but nobody gave me anything!” You slump back into your seat, steaming in your anger.

“Here,” says Ydris, holding the Zee plush towards you. You take it, feeling a little better.

“Thanks,” you say, hugging the plush close to your body.

“It is not the real Zee, of course,” says Ydris. “The real one is still right here, beside me.” You look, and laugh upon seeing the plush sitting on the seat beside Ydris.

“I love it,” you say, feeling a little better about hugging the plush now that you know it isn’t actually a horse that’s going to misbehave for you tomorrow.

“Anything to put a smile on your face, little dove,” says Ydris, and you are definitely smiling as you sit back and enjoy the show with your date.


End file.
